Sheet folding and pleating machine



March 19, 1940 A. J. WIKNDER Erm. 2,194,344

SHEET FOLDING AND PLEATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 E IIIl!)lIIlIUIHHHHIlIHIHNHHIHIHHHIHD @e g Il! I INVENTORS @n/ ATTORNEYS March 19, 1940.

A. J. WIKANDER ET AL SHEET FOLDING AND LEATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1938 ATTORNEYS 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 March 19,` 1940. A, wmANDER'h-r 2,194,344

SHEET FOLDING AND PLEATING HACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1938 'T Sheets-Sheet 3 www ATTOPNEYS March 19, 1940. A J, W|KANDER E; AL 2,194,344

SHEET FOLDING AND PLEATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTORS W/'KA /vn ER 1? /MTTORNEYS MarCh 19 1940- A. J. wlKANDER .Er AL 2,194,344

SHEET FOLDING AND PLEATNG MACHINE Filed Nov. 1U, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheel', 5

` INVENTORS Afvafns J. MHA/vaan March 19, 1940.

A. J. WIKANDER ET AL SHEET FOLDING AND PLEATING MACHINE Fild Nov. 1o, 193s '7 Sheets-Sheet 6 f INVENTORS /VOERS J, W//m/voE/f @@f-TTORNEYS March 19, 1940. A. J. WIKANDER Em 2,194,344

SHEET FOLDING AND PLEATING MACHINE Filed Nov. 10, 1938 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 Ary ,l W/'soo/v WWW ATTORNEYS expense incident to hand labor heretofore in.

Pateniea Mair.y 19, 1940 PATENT- orrlcs l 'SHEET FOLDING AND PLEATING MACHINE .Anders J. Wlikander and lIvan Lind, Brooklyn..

and Lacy Lrwisdom, New Xork,.N. Y;

appli-canon November 10,1938, .serial Nn. 39,784

l15 Claims.'

This invention relates. to sheet folding machinesand has particular `reference to a machine 'for lfolding and pleating sheets -of paper intermediate the ends thereof so as to provide paper folders 'such as are used ifor ybrief backs; report- 'orv more pleats intermediate the ends of eachy sheet and for folding together the portionsy of each sheet lying on opposite sides o'i the pleats yand conveying the pleated` and folded sheets away fromfsaid mechanism.

" 'Moreparticularly the invention.resides in a sheet pleating and `:folding mechanism which includes oppositely disposed creasing blades `movable towards .each other into spaced parallel Inested relationship so as to elect 'the pleating between adjacent nested blades, in combination with rollers for pressing theI creased stock together and for feeding the sheet away fromthe lblades as the same are retracted to-thereby fold.

together the yportions of the sheet lying on opposite 'sides ofthe pleated portion thereof.

The invention further lem'loodies in a machine of the indicated character a take off mechanism and meansfor deecting onto `the take oli mechanism the .pleated and folded sheets .as they leave the pressing and feeding rollers, the de'fflector :means being movable to active position overlyingV the .pressing and feeding rollers lin timed .relation-.and immediately following vthe retraction of the 4creasing blades.

The invention is further directed toA a vma-` chine lof the indicated character in which `means is provided for feeding and retaining each sheet in juxtaposition to the pleating and folding mechanisms and so supporting the Sheet vas to ,permit cfithe drawing of the vopposite `end portions thereof towards the intermediate `portion las the pleating and folding operations are ef,-l

iected. l

The invention furthermore aims. to `provide a' .machine yas `and Afor the purpose .specified by means .of which paper' `folders may be expeditiously andvfeconomically produced to avoid the volved in the lpleating and folding of thesame. With the above and other'objects in view, the invention is set `forth in greater detail linl the following specification and illustrated in the ac-l companying drawings, wherein: v

Fig. l is a side view of the machine constructedin accordance with the invention.

v fFi'g.' '2 is a similar .viewi Villustrating the opposite side of the machine.

Iiiig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional View taken 'approximately -on itheline indicated at Liin Fig. 3.

Fig. `5 is an enlarged fragmentary diagrammatic sectional View illustrating parts of the creasing rand plowing, pressing and fielding, and deiiectin'g and take oii mechanisms showing the l0 same in their initial positions when the sheet is Adeliver-ed thereto. v

liig. 6 `is 'a similar view showing` the lower Central creasing blade .and` 'the `upper creasing lblades `-in their active position effecting the in- 15 itial creasing and pleating of the sheet.

Fig. '7 is-a 4similar View Showing the lower outer pair of creasing blades in :active position 'eiiecting the additional creasing and pleating roi the sheets. y v l Fig. '18 visw'a :similar View showing the addition of parts subsequent to thecreasing and pleatfing operations and yillustrating the sheetas it fis fheing lfolded, ydeilected andfpresented to the take "ofi 'mechanism 25 9 is a diagrammatic expanded perspec- `tive IView illustrating aparts 'of one end of the creasing fand '.pleating, fthe pressing Aand rfolding, land `the dee'cting and take oil fmechanism's to- 'Lgether with cams ior controlling the same.

Fig. .l0 is 1a perspective View illustratingv one :of the 'completedv paper folders .and the manner in which it Eis utilized asa sheet binder.

.-11 is a .fragmentary viewsimilar to Fig. :7 illustrating .an attachment for the creasing and V35 pleating .mechanism to :provide .a modified form 'of pleating arrangement.

l `Fig. V12-is a .transverse sectional view through the machine-italien approximately on the line :l2-:I2 -oiFig 1.

'Referringvto the drawings vley charactersof y-r-eferencegy the machine :includes a frame .20 ad- `jacent one end vof which is provided a table 24 or supporting -a stack of sheets Ato be pleated .and folded, which ,tableis mounted for vertical lfstep by ystep upward movement by means ofa 4ratchet paw1.22 engaging a ratchet wheel 23, lthe pawl .being Yactuated .by va rock lever 2l which is .in turn .rocked throughv the .medium of a recip- 4`rocatory .rod 2'5.` The ratchet wheel shaft 2'6 l5C y f by afknurled .feed roller "3U which isl keyed to `a y55 2 'l f l 2,194,344

transverse shaft 3i journaled in aligned bearings 32 carried by the radial arms 33 of arctatory sleeve 36 which is mounted to turnl on a transverse shaft secured in bearings 36 on the upper portion of the frame 28.

The sleeve 34 is provided with a radial arm` 31- which extends substantially diametrically opposite the radial arms 33 and has connected therewith an actuating rod 68 for rocking the sleeve to raise and lower the knurled feed roller' for singly feeding Athe sheetsfr'om the stack on the supporting table 2 i. The shaft 3| has keyed thereto a drive pulley 39 for rotating the feed" naled in the frame 26, thefrock shaft being pro-' videdwith a radial arm 42 connected to a reciprocatory actuating rod 63. A transverse rotary cam shaft 45 is journaled in; theframe and the vsaid shaft has secured thereto a plurality.. of cams. The cam 46 engages a cam roller or follower 41 which is journaled on a slotted yoke 48 attached to the reciprocatory rod 25 for actuating the rock lever Effi, the pawl 82 and the ratchet wheel 23 to eifectthe vertical step `by step upward movement of the stack supporting table-2|.

A spring 49 connected at one end to the frame 28 and at the opposite end to the yoke 48 functions to maintain the cam follower or ro1ler 41 in contact with the periphery or face of the-cam. A cam 58 keyed to the shaft 45 engages with the cam follower or ro1ler5| carried by the yoke k52 which is connected with the rod 38 for controlling the raising and lowering of the knurled feed roller 38.. A cam 55 keyed to the shaft 45l engages with a cam follower or roller 56 on a yoke 51 carried by the rod 43 for controlling the swinging movement of the sheet release fingers 40. The cams 56, 56and 55 are, so disposedand contoured as to effect the feeding of the sheets A singly from the top of the stack and the release of the top sheet by the fingers 46 so ythat as the trailing edge of the uppermost sheet approaches the knurled feed roller 38, the cam 50 will eifect the raising of the feed roller to a non-feeding position out of engagement with the next adjacent sheet on the stack.

The leading edge of the uppermost sheet is advanced by the knurled feed .roller 38 and received between a pair of superimposed feeding rolls 68 and 6|, the former being secured to a transverse shaft 62 which is driven through the medium of a pulley 63 to which motion is trans- Amitted by means to be hereinafter set forth.

The upper feed roll 6| is secured to a transverse shaft 68 which is journaled for rotation in pivoted arms 65 fulcrumed as at 66 to bearing vbrackets 61 on the top of the frame 26. Motion vis transmitted to the upper feed roll 6| from 'the lower feed roll 66 by meshing gears 68 and 69A contacts with an adjustable stop `gage 1.4 at

which time the feeding is automatically discontinued by raising of the top roll 6| through the medium of a cam 15 keyed to a transverse cam shaft 16, the face of which cams' coact with cam followers or rollers 11 carried by yokes 18 attached to rods 19 which are connected at their upper ends vto the free ends of the arms 65. The

upward movement of the feed roll 6| is, how-i ever, limited by an adjustable stop 88L engaging one of the arms 65, to prevent disengagement or unmeshing of the teeth of the gears 68 and 69, -while permitting sufficient separation-of the periph-cries of theI feed rolls to discontinue the feeding of the sheet. v

A sheetk pleating and folding mechanism is located on the frame between the Vsheet supporting tables 12 and 13 and includes upper and lower vertically disposed transversely extending employed and one or more lower blades being utilized depending upon the number of pleats creasing blades,l two or` more upper blades being to be formed, in the present instance two upper j namely, a central blade 86 and a pair of outer blades 81, the upper creasing blades are carried by a single vertically movable support or bar 88,

vthelower central blade 86 by a vertically movable blade supporting bar 89, and the lower outer blades 81 by a cross sectional U-shaped vertiiblades 85 beingdisclosed and three lower blades, 8

site sides of the frame 28. vThe upper blade supf port or bar 88 has securedto the opposite ends thereof, depending bars 92, while the support or bar 89 for the central lower blade 86 is connected'-y to depending bars 93.

The confronting edges of the bars 92.and f with rack teeth 98 and 95 which mesh with the ,teeth of pinions journaled on fixed bearing studs 91 secured to the frame, the arrangementadjacent their lower ends are formed respectively being such that through the medium of thepinl ion andrack teeth the rods 92 and 93 are simultaneously moved in opposite directions to respectively eifect the advancement of the ycreasing blades 85 and 86 towardsand away from each I he upper blades 85 and the lower cen-` Vtral blade 86 are staggered with reference to each .g-

other so that when advanced towards each other,

the vlower central blade 86 is received lbetween f .the pair of upper blades 85 whereby theintermediate portion of the sheet will be creased and'v disposed in pleated formation.

Motion is imparted to the creasing b1ades85'- and 86 by cams 98 which are secured to a rotary shaft 96 extending transversely of and journaled in the lower portion of the frame 2 0. `The faces of the cams 98 engage cam rollers or followers I 80 which are mounted for rotation `on lugs IIJI atthe lower end of the rack bars 93. Motion is imparted to the U-shaped blade support or bar t@ rotate therewith and the faces ofwhich cams" .98 for the lower outer blades 8`|`by means of .y .cams |61 which are also secured to the shaft 99 |81 .engage the cam `rollers or followers |98 l mounted for rotation on slotted yokes` |09 at the The' faces of the cams lll'lare so contoured and arranged with reference to the cams 96 as to effect an advancement*v of the lower outer blades '81 towards the upper creasing blades 85 subsequenttoand immediately 'following'` the creasing and ',pleating'of the stockby thernovement of the 'central lower -bladelli and upper blades 85 to their nested relation so as to avoid strains `or stresses on the stock which would tendfto tear -or Vmutilate the saine. lf. additional creases and pleats are to be for1ned, itis y,obvious that v additionalpairs of creasing bladesand supports therefor .similar to `the U-shapedsupportf 9. would beadded alternately to the upper and v blades.

lll)

fil)

In vorder to provide rn'eans rfor pre'ssingi'togather the pleatedintermediate por-tion of the sheet and to fold and convey the same away to a take off mechanism, a pair of pressing, folding and feeding rollers itil which. are jcurnaled. forrotation in? the arms lil and l23 ofbell cranlrsfltrl and llbpthe shafts l26 and l2? of which are fulcrurned in the frame 2G and the `reinaining arms 62d l2@ thereof are connecte'dby links i353 and lill toa slotted ,yoke i242 which is normally pulled downwardly by a yspring lt. The yoke isprovided with a cam follower'or roller' i3d which is urged into contact with the face of a cam i3d keyed to the shaft 99. vThe cam l 35 is so contoured and disposed as to swing the rollers 2li and lill downwardly and inwardly towards each other as theV creasing `blades 85, 8S and '8l are retracted, whereby the rollers itil vfand lill will press the pleated medial portion of the sheet together. The

.rollers 2li and lil are driven to turn in the direction of the arrows by means of belts it@ and lill which are trained around sheaves l and lil on the'shafts of the rollers lll and l2l. It, therefore, follows that. coincident with the movementof the rollers lili and lill towards each other to press the plea-ted portion of the, sheet, the rollers will effect upward feeding `ofthe sheet `and a folding together of the portions of the sheet lying on opposite sides ofthe intermediate pleated portionl For the purpose of talring off the pleated and folded sheets, an endless :onveyor vbelt itl isk trained around longitudinally .spacedv transversely disposed conveyor rolls i122 and M3, which are driven-to move the conveyor belt IM in the direction of the arrow by a belt Mid which is tra-ined around a sheavelil on the shaft of the roller M3.

In order, to deflect'thepleated and folded sheet onto the talee off conveyor belt lill, a curved delico-tor element lll is provided which is attached to roch arms lEll which are secured to a transverse rook shaft journaled in the frame Ell. Motion is imparted 'to the roch shaft by means olf a cani li which is keyed to the shaft e@ and the face of which engages a' cam follower or roller l5@ carried on a slotted yoke ld which attached to an actuatingrod 55., the upper end of which rod is pivotally connectedas at l to a radial lill secured. to the rock shaft 452.

and 29 are provided i a sprocket vv'chain vposed 'feeding rollers ell and 5l.

tion of the `creasing blades. It thus follows that the foldedand pleated sheets are deflected onto the take off conveyor belt lill from which they are discharged from the end of the machine.

Motor power todrive the machine is imparted to a drive shaftldll which extends transversely through the machineand is journaled in bear- 'ingsfin the frame. The drive shaft has keyed thereto a sprocket ll` around which is trained a sprocket chain itil which engages with and drives a sprocket ll on the cam shaft il@ thereby' transmitting motion to said cam shaft. The

vdrive shaft lt also has keyed thereto a pulley lli around which is trained a belt d66 which is in turn trained around the pulley El@ keyed to the shaft 'lili and by means of which motion is imparted .to the superimposed feeding rolls Bil fand el. f,

rhe drive'shaft lall also has keyed thereto a pulley lill around which is trained a crossed belt lll which is also trained around the pulley wherebyrnotion isl imparted to the knurled feed roller 3%. The'drive shaft llill has keyed thereto a sp-rocket'll around which is trained around a sprocket lll' on a transverse shaft llii which is journaled in bearings on the frame 2li.

'ley li which is driven .by a belt'liil trained around a pulley Edil keyed on the main drive It vwill be understood that the belts shaft Hill, ist are ycrossed so 'as to turn the pressing7 folding andfeeding rollers igt inl a counter-clockv wise direction.

, Motion is mear-tedv to um @am shaft it by vmeans of -meshingpinions lilil and ll which are Akeyed respectively to the shafts Yil@ and 'it and motion is transmitted to the earn shaft lli from the shaft i6 by a sprocket chain lll trained around sprocketsv i9@ and lllli keyed respectively to the ycam shafts l land lid. f

In operation the stack of sheets A on the table `2l arefed upwardly in a step by step movement and the upperniostsheet of the stack is moved to the right in Fig. Il by means of the knurled feedv rollerv Bil after the fingers lil have been swung to the right and downwardly to an out-ofthe-wayposition by means of the cam E5. After the leading edge Vof the sheet has passed over the lingers, the cam 5d swings the ngers upwardly and to the left to retain the adjacent sheets unf derneath against movement, while the feed roller `continues to feed the uppermost sheet until the leading edge is received between the superimthen supported onfthe slatted table l2 and is located between adjustable pairs of side guides 200 on the vsides ofthe fra-me. After the sheet .has been fed between and gripped by the superimposed rollers lill and 5l, the cam 550v functions to raisethe knurled feed roller` Stout of con tact with the sheet so that the feeding oi the same towardstheright is continued by means of the feeding rolls 5t and 6l only. The feeding movement of thesheet iscontinued until its lead- The sheet is IPO ing edge contacts with the adjustable stop gage 7M at which time the cams 'l5 function to lift the upper feed roll 5| to discontinue the feeding of the sheet. The forward portion of the sheet is then supported by the table 13 between the adjustable side guides 20|, while the rear portion thereof is supported on the slatted table 'l2 with the intermediate portion of the sheet disposed between the separated upper creasing blades and lower creasing blades 86 and 8l. The cam 93 then actuates the rack bars 92 and 93 to simultaneously move the two upper creasing blades 85 and the central lower creasing blade 86 towards each other to crease and form a pleat, it being understood that the pleating operation effects a drawing of the opposite end portions of the sheet towards the intermediate portion to compensate for the offsetting of said intermediate portion by the pleating operation. immediately following this the cam lill effects the upward movement of the pair of outer blades 81 upwardly to form additional pleats.

It is, of course, obvious that additional pairs of blades similar to the pair of blades 81 may be i alternately added to the upper and lower sets if additional pleats are desired. After the pleating operation is nished, the cam |35 functions to swing the pressing, folding and feeding rollers 12B and |2| downwardly and towards eachother in timed relation to the movement of the upper and lower blades simultaneously away from each other so that the pleated intermediate portion of the sheet is pressed together and is fed upwardly by the rotary motion of the rollers |25 and |2|. Immediately following the movement of the rollers lZt and |2| to their pressing and feeding position, the cam |52 effects the swinging movement of the deector element |50 to its active position overlying the rollers |20 and |2| whereby the pleated intermediate portion is deilected to the right and onto the upper lead of the conveyor belt Mi, the rotation of the rollers |2l and |2| serving to draw and fold together the portions of the sheets which lie on the opposite sides of the intermediate pleated portion. rI'his delivers the sheet in its pleated, pressed and folded condition onto the conveyor belt for discharge from the end of the machine, after which the delector element |50 is moved to its inactive position by the cam |52, while the cam |35 effects the movement of the rollers |20 and |2| upwardly and away from each other and out of the path of movement of the next succeeding sheet which is fed into position so that the operation is repeated.

As illustrated in Fig. l0 of the drawings, the creased, folded and pleated sheet A is illustrated in its completed form and the manner inA which the same is used as a brief back or binder for the pages B, the edge portions of which are disposed between the pleats C and D with suitable fastening elements E extending therethrough. It has, however, been found inv some instances that it is desirable to so pleat the sheet A as to increase the spacing between the pleats C and D and in order to accomplish this the lower central blade 86, as previously shown in the drawings, has substituted therefor a lower central creasing blade SEA as illustrated in Fig. l1 of the drawings. This creasing blade is formed with an enlarged upper edge portion 86B, while the upper pair of creasing blades 85 are necessarily spaced apart to correspond with the thickness of the substitute creasing blade 85A and the lower outer creasing blades 8l likewise spaced apart accordingiy. It ythus, follows that in the nnishedi'brief back or binder, the pleats C and D will be spaced apart to accommodate a greater number of pages B than could bereceived between the pleats C and D under thearrangement of the creasing and pleating blades previously set forth.

vWhat is claimedA is: y

1. In a machine ofthe character set forth, mechanism for transversely pleating ya sheet intermediate. the ends thereof including opposed pleating blades located on opposite sides of said sheet for creasing the-same 'in opposite directions to form a vpleated structure,` means for moving the creasingblades on opposite sides of saidsheet towards and away from each othenandmechanism for gripping said pleated portion of the sheet and for removing the pleated sheet so as to fold together the remaining portions thereof lying on vopposite sides of the pleated portion as the sheet is removed.

2. In a machine of the character set forth,-

mechanism for transversely pleating a ysheet intermediate the ends thereof including opposed pleating blades located on opposite sides of said sheet for simultaneously creasing the samevin opposite directions to form a pleated structure,

means for `moving the blades on opposite sides of l termediate the Vvends lthereof including opposed.`

pleating blades located on opposite sides of saidv sheet for creasing the same in opposite directions to'form a pleated structure, means for effecting' relative movement of the creasing blades on if opposite sides of said sheet towards and away from eachv other, and mechanism for gripping said sheet and for folding ltogether theportions lthereof lying on opposite sides of; the pleated portion and for feeding the pleated andfolded sheet away from said creasing blades as the same retracted from eachA other.

fl. In a machine of the character set forth,

mechanism for transversely pleating la sheet intermediate vthe ends thereof including opposed pleating blades located on opposite 'sides lof said sheet for creasing the same in opposite directions to form: a pleated structure, means for moving .the creasing blades on opposite sides of said sheet towards and away from .each other, mechanism for gripping said pleated portion of the sheet and for 'folding together the remaining portions thereof lying on opposite sides vof the pleated portion and for feeding the pleated and folded sheet away from said creasing blades as the same are retracted from each other, said gripping and folding mechanism including elements lmounted for movement towards and away from each other, and means for eifecting Athe movement of said elements having timed relation with the means for effecting the movement of the creasingblades.

5. In a machine vof the character. set forth,

mechanism for transversely pleating a sheet .in-

pleating blades located on opposite sides of said sheet for creasing the same in opposite directions to form a pleated structure, means for moving p the creasing blades on opposite sidesof said sheet towards and away from each other, mechanism for pressing said pleated portion of the sheet andfor, folding-together the remaining portions thereof lying on opposite sides .of the pleated portion and for,r feeding the pleated and folded .sheetl away from said creasing blades as the same 'are retracted from each other, said pressing and `folding mechanism including.cppositelyI driven continuously rotating rollers mounted for Inove- 'inenttowards and away from-each other, means for effecting the movement of saidv rollers having timedrelation with the means for eecting the k termediate the lends thereof includingfa'pair of spaced parallel creasing blades extending transversely of and locatedon one side of the sheet to be pleated, a single creasing blade extending transversely of andarranged on the opposite side of the sheet, means for moving said blades -to I wards each other to dispose the free edge portion of said single blade between the freev edge portions of said pair of blades so'as to pleat'the sheet, and mechanism for pressing said pleated portion' of the sheet and folding together the remaining portions of the sheet lying on opposite sides of the pleated portion. l

7. In a machine of the character set forth, mechanism for transversely pleating a sheet intermediate the ends thereof including a pair of spaced parallel creasing bladesextending ,transf versely of and located on one side of the sheet to be pleated, a single creasing blade extending transversely of and arranged. on the opposite side of the sheet,` means for `moving said blades towards'each other to dispose the free edge portion of said single blade betweenthe free edge portions of said pair of blades so as to pleat the sheet, and mechanism for gripping said pleated portion oi the sheet and folding together the remaining portions of the sheet lying onl opposite sides of the pleated portion, and for feedingthe pleated and folded sheet from between the creas- 'ing blades subsequent to the retraction of the l same fromeach other.

8. Inr a machine of the character set forth,

,mechanism for transversely plcating a sheet in termediate vthe ends thereof including a pair of spaced parallel creasing blades extending transversely of and located on one side of the sheet to be pleated, a single creasing blade extending ltransversely of and arranged on the opposite side 'tion of the sheet and folding together the reroaming portions of the sheet'lying on opposite of the pleatedportion and for feeding the "fpleated and folded sheet from between the creasblades subsequent to the retraction 'f of the saine from eachother, mechanism for taking off the pleated and folded sheets, and a denector means movable betweenthe retracted creasing blades4 for guiding the sheets onto said take off mechanism.

s. In a machine of the character set forth, mechanism for transversely pleatirig a sheet intermediate the ends thereof including a pair of spaced parallel creasing blades extending transversely of andv located on one side of the sheet to be pleated, an intermediate creasing blade extending transversely of and located on the opposite side of said sheet, a ypair of spaced parallel outercreasing blades extending transversely of and straddling sai'dinterrnediate blade, means for simultaneously moving intermediate blade and the first-mentioned pair `of blades-towards.

each other to dispose the free edge portions of the intermediate "blade between the free edge portions of. rst mentioned pair of blades so as to crease and pleat the sheet, means vfor subsequently moving the free edge portions of said second pairA of blades towards the lirstfpair of v'blades to dispose` the fre@ Lodge ,portions of said first pair of blades between said second pair of' for additionallylpleating the sheet, said blade movingv means functioning to simultaneously move all of said blades away from each other after the sheet pleating operation. I

, l0. In amachirle of the character set forth, mechanism for transversely pleating a sheetintermediate the ends thereof including a pair of spaced parallel creasing blades extending transversely of. and located on' vone side of the` sheet' for simultaneously moving said intermediater blade and the first mentioned pair of blades towards each otherto dispose the free edge pori tions of the intermediate blade between the free edgev portions of the. first nfientionedV pair of blades so as to crease and pleat the sheet, means for subsequently moving the free edge portions ofv said second pair of lblades towardsthe rst pair of blades to dispose the free edge portions of said rst pair of blades between said second pair of blades for additionally pleating the sheet,

said blade moving means functioning to simultaneously move all of said blades away from each other after the sheet pleating operation, and

` to be pleated, an intermediate creasing blade exmechanism for gripping said pleated portion of thesheet and folding together the remaining portions thereof lying on opposite rsides of the pleat- -ed portion andl for feeding the pleatedf'and folded sheet away from said creasing blades as the same lare retracted from each other.`

11. In a machine of the character set'fo-rth;k l

mechanism for transversely pleating a sheet intermediate the yends thereof including opposite pleating blades located on oppositesides of said sheet for creasing the same in opposite 'directions to form a pleated structure, means for moving the creasing blades on opposite sides of said sheet towards and awayv from other, and means independent of the pleating blades for supporting said sheet juxtaposition to said pleating mechl anisin for free movement of the opposite end esv said sheet towards and away from each other, y

mechanism for pressing se id pleated portion of the sheet and for folding together the remaining portions thereof lying on opposite sides of the pleated portion, and means for supporting said sheet in juxtaposition to ysaid mechanisms' for free movement of the opposite end portions during the pleating, pressing and folding operations. 13. In a'machine of the character set forth,

spaced horizontal sheet supporting tables, means `for feeding a sheet to a predetermined position to be supported upon said tables with the intermediate portion of the sheet spanning the space therebetween and the opposite end portions `mounted for free movement, mechanism for forming transverse pleats in said intermediate porti-on of the supported sheet including spaced parallel vertically disposed upper and lower vsets of creasing blades respectively disposed above vand below the sheets, and means for moving said Ysets of blades towards each other to a nested relation in the space `between the supporting tablesto effect the pleating of the sheet between said blades and the drawing of the opposite end portions thereof towards the intermediate portion during the pleating operation.

14. In a machine of the character set forth, spaced horizontal sheet supporting tables, means for singly feeding sheets over said tables, means engaging with the leading edge of the sheet to dispose the same in a predetermined position, supported uponsaid tables with the intermediate portion spanning the rspace therebetween and the opposite end portions free for movement towards the intermediate portion, mechanism` for forming transverse pleats in the intermediate portion of the supported sheet including spaced parallel vertically disposed upper and lower sets of blades disposed respectively above and below the sheets, means for moving said sets of blades towards each other to a nested relation in the space between the supporting tables so as` to elTect the pleating of the sheet between said blades, said means being adapted to move-said sets of blades to a relatively retracted position, l and mechanism for pressing said pleated. portion of the sheet and for folding together the remain# ing portions lying on opposite sides of the pleatff l.

ed portion subsequent to the retraction of said blades.

15. In a machine of the character mechanism for transversely pleating a'sheet inltermediate the ends thereof including a pairv of'` of and straddlingsaid intermediate blade, means for simultaneously moving said intermediate blade and the rst mentioned paire-f blades towards each other to dispose the free edge portions of the intermediate blades between the free edge portions of the first mentioned pair ol blades so as to crease and pleat the sheet, means for subsequently moving the free edge portions ofsaid second pair of blades towards said first pair of blades to dispose the free edge portions of said first pair of blades between said second pair of blades for additionally pleating the sheet, means for feeding and supporting said sheet in juxtaposition to said blades with the end porset forth,A

tions thereof free for movement towards the 

